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Education Grants

Grant Release Schedule

May: Education Grant Call for Proposals released.

August: Education Grant proposals due.

February: Education Grants announced.

Education Grant Resources

  • Education Grants

    Education Grants allow applicants to conduct education and outreach activities for the benefit of the greater sustainable ag community, and promote efforts in farmer innovations, community resilience, business success, ag diversification, and best management practices.

What is Sustainable Agriculture?

Education Grants were born out of Southern SARE's Research and Education Grants program, when there was recognized a need for many organizations, such as non-profits, to conduct sustainable agriculture work that was not grounded in research.

Education Grants are open to academic institutions and organizations, such as non-profits and non-governmental organizations, who are interested in conducting education and outreach activities for the benefit of the greater sustainable ag community, and promote efforts in farmer innovations, community resilience, business success, agricultural diversification, and best management practices.

Education Grants should focus on a topic area of sustainable agriculture relevance that meets SARE’s program goals. In addition, the proposed project should comprise education/outreach efforts/activities that support the research/education foundation of the institution/organization, and must clearly articulate how those education/outreach efforts/activities will be implemented and evaluated.

Examples of Education Grant projects can include one or more of the following, but are not limited to:

  • Experiential (Demonstrations, on-farm tours, field days, workshops, trainings, case studies);
  • Integrative (Seminars, course curriculum)
  • Reinforcement (Fact sheets, bulletins, books, manuals, videos, online technologies, guidebooks)

Proposed projects must focus on Southern SARE’s program objectives in developing sustainable agriculture systems or moving existing farming systems toward sustainability, as defined by Congress in the 1990 Farm Bill.

A simple way to think about sustainable agriculture is that it involves producing enough food and fiber to satisfy today’s needs without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same. Sustainability as defined by the SARE program embraces three common goals (or pillars of sustainability):

  • Profit over the long term;
  • Stewardship of our nation’s land, air and water;
  • Quality of life for farmers, ranchers, farm employees and our communities.

Because farms and ranches everywhere are incredibly diverse, there's no "one-size-fits-all" approach to sustainability. Learn more about how some of the most common practices can enhance sustainability for all farms through this SARE sampler of proven practices: "What is Sustainable Agriculture?"

Eligibility Requirements

Education Grant proposals must meet the following basic requirements in order to be considered for funding:

  • Education Grants strictly fund education and outreach activities related to sustainable agriculture whose outcomes are intended to benefit farmers/ranchers and the communities they serve. There is no research involved in these grant projects.
  • Project outcomes must focus on developing sustainable agriculture systems or moving existing systems toward sustainable agriculture.
  • The project must clearly articulate what is being taught, to whom and how the project will accomplish those goals.
  • The results must be realistic, acceptable to farmers, logical, and capable of leading to the actions and benefits described in the proposal.
  • For farmers involved in your project, the primary occupation is farming/ranching or part-time farming. Producers run their farm alone or with family or partners and have a least $1,000 of documented annual income from the operation, as defined by USDA.

Who Can Apply?

Non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, researchers from public and private institutions (land-grants and others), and government agencies are invited to apply.

Funding Amount

Education Grant Calls for Proposals open in May and are awarded February the following calendar year. Education Grant project maximums are $50,000, limited to two (2) years.

USDA-NIFA will allow recovery of indirect costs.

Education Grant funds are paid by reimbursement of allowable project expenses. Before applying, make sure you have the legal structure and financial capacity to receive and execute a Southern SARE grant. Advance payments are not possible.

Allowable Expenses

Education Grant funds may be used for the following purposes:

  • Labor of the PI, cooperators receiving funding, and any farmers/ranchers involved in the project.
  • Materials and supplies needed for the project, including software.
  • The purchase of non-expendable equipment that carries a strong justification of its necessity to effectively execute the project. Any equipment obtained becomes the property of the university/organization that received the grant funding.
  • The rental of equipment or operating charges.
  • Travel and per diem necessary for project activities and/or outreach.
  • Publication charges of commercial printing or field-related publication charges for brochures and program materials.
  • Computer costs related to the project, including Internet service provider fees.
  • Food and refreshments related to project activities or outreach. You must demonstrate that providing food or refreshments is necessary to effectively execute your grant project.
  • Outreach expenses related to the planning and execution of outreach activities. Expenses can include rental of facilities, cost of refreshments, materials and supplies, etc.
  • Direct costs such as service maintenance contracts, conference/meeting expenses, speaker/trainer fees, honorariums, fees for services, and consultant fees.

Non-Allowable Expenses

Education Grant funds cannot be used for the following purposes:

  • Starting a farm, NGO, business or other community organization, or expanding an existing farm, NGO, business or other community organization.
  • Providing any kind of financial support relative to the general operation of the farm, NGO, business of community organization.
  • Providing support of any kind for capital investments or permanent farm improvements, including: purchasing equipment; purchasing permanent greenhouses, high tunnels or other buildings; purchasing permanent irrigation; building a pond; purchasing and installing water containment tanks; purchasing permanent fencing; planting an orchard; purchasing livestock or bee hives; or purchasing crops or crop seed for use beyond the research plots and timetable of the project.
  • Any expenses related to infrastructure or capacity building.
  • Generally, any item that has permanent use beyond the life of the grant project is not allowed.
  • Breakfasts, lunches or other full meals for the project’s outreach plan, or educational/resource event or program.
  • Any costs incurred for producing grant-required annual and final project reports.
  • Participant incentives (payment must be related to work performed on the project).
  • International travel.
  • Payment of tuition.
  • Journal publication costs.
  • Purchase of classroom books.
  • Promotional items (pens with logos, t-shirts, tote bags, etc.) and giveaway items.

Grant Writing Tips

Southern SARE Education Grants are competitive. Each year we receive more grant proposals than we have monies to award funding. Here are some suggestions that might aid in strengthening your proposal:

  • Follow the instructions in the Call for Proposal. Failure to follow directions or omit any required information will result in your proposal being rejected.
  • Make sure SARE is the right granting organization for your project. Review the proposal guidelines and evaluation criteria in the proposal. Every year we receive a number of well-written, well-designed proposals that don’t clearly address the SARE program’s unique goals and criteria.
  • Involve farmers, growers, ranchers and other end-users in the planning, design and implementation of your project.
  • Collaborate with other researchers, farmers, or organizations on your project. To be successful, projects should involve a variety of disciplines and areas of skills of expertise.
  • Look beyond state lines. Strengthen your proposal by addressing issues that are relevant in several states or regionally, rather than just one state, or a niche area.
  • Successful projects include clear goals and objectives. The project must clearly articulate what is being taught, to whom and how the project will accomplish those goals.
  • Make sure you include an outreach plan, and have a process in place for evaluating your results. The results must be realistic, acceptable to farmers, logical, and capable of leading to the actions and benefits described in the proposal.
  • Clearly outline the activities of your training program and discuss how the activities proposed will reach the target audience and achieve your objectives.
  • Don’t wait until the last minute to begin your proposal and to submit it to the SARE Grants Management online system. The deadline for proposal submissions is firm. Anticipate technological glitches, budget issues, user error or other issues that might cause delays.
  • Be clear on the “what”, “why”, and “who cares” of your project and how it pertains to sustainable agriculture. This is your “hook” for reviewers. Remember, they get to know you through your proposal. Be sure they understand the importance of your project.
  • Avoid jargon and spell out fulls names of acronyms.
  • Have a colleague proofread your proposal to identify errors, omissions, or sections that seem unclear.

Looking for sustainable ag ideas? Visit SARE's national projects database to learn more about funded projects. Over 9,000 research and education projects have been funded nationally.

How Your Proposal Will Be Reviewed

Education Grants are reviewed based on weighted scoring criteria. Upon closure of the grant deadline, proposals receive a technical review by the Project Review Committee of Southern SARE’s Administrative Council, the program’s governing body.

The Project Review Committee evaluates the proposal using the following criteria:

  • Reviewing the qualifications of the applicant. Is the applicant eligible and have the experience, skills, knowledge and resources to complete the project? (5 points)
  • Reviewing the Need, Rationale and Significance of the project based on skills and knowledge gaps that can be fulfilled through a “teachable” project whose success can be effectively measured through evaluation. (10 points)
  • Determining how the Project is Relevant to Sustainable Agriculture. How does the project and its expected results contribute to sustainable agriculture? Is the project and its expected results a new and creative innovation? Does the project contribute to the growth of sustainable agriculture by building on and/or adding to existing knowledge? Is it a band-aid to conventional agriculture or does it move the needle in more sustainable farming practices? (15 points)
  • Reviewing the Objectives to ensure that they can realistically be completed within the proposed time frame, and project goals are feasible to obtain by the methods stated. (10 points)
  • Reviewing the Approaches and Methods to determine if the proposed educational approach is clear, well designed and thought out so that it solves a problem or encourages farmer adoption of recommended practices or strategies. (25 points)
  • Evaluating the project’s Budget to determine if the requested amount is reasonable and realistic, and is clear on what the funds will be spent on. Are the requested funds allowable? Are budget items itemized with clear descriptions on how they will be used in the project? (10 points)
  • Reviewing the Outreach Plan for applicability for farmers/ranchers and their ability to adopt or implement project results. (10 points)
  • Reviewing the Evaluation to ensure methods demonstrate project process, outcome, and success of implementation or adoption of skills, knowledge, strategies or other educational resources. (15 points)

Once the Project Review Committee completes its technical review, it meets by Zoom call to discuss fundable proposals, and then again at the February Administrative Council (AC) meeting to select fundable projects. Those are then presented to the full Administrative Council for funding.

By March you will be contacted regarding the status of your proposal, and a summary of the review comments for your proposal will be provided to you.

Expectations for Funded Proposals

If the Southern SARE Administrative Council selects your project for funding, you will expect the following:

Notification: Southern SARE selects Education Grant proposals during its winter Administrative Council meeting February of each year. Applicants will be notified via email soon after regarding the status of their project. All projects officially start April 1.

Budget Reviews and Contracting: Proposals selected for funding will undergo a budget review by Southern SARE. Any revisions or changes will be made prior to the proposal sent to University of Georgia (Southern SARE’s host institution) for contracting. Applicants will receive a subaward agreement by University of Georgia via email for signature. Once signed, the project is officially executed.

UGA Vendor Database: All applicants of SARE-funded projects are required to register in University of Georgia’s Vendor Database at https://suppliers.uga.edu as an entity conducting business with University of Georgia. Registering in the vendor database during the budget review process will expedite grant contracting once the budget review process is complete.

Invoicing: All project expenses are paid on a reimbursement basis. Applicants will receive an invoice template and be required to submit receipts and invoices during the course of their grant project to be reimbursed for their expenses.

Required Reporting: Education Grant recipients are required to submit an annual report each year their project is active, detailing the progress of their research. In the year the project ends, recipients are required to submit a final report, documenting their findings, outreach, and project impacts. Reports are submitted online to the SARE Grant Management System. Southern SARE will hold the final invoice submitted for reimbursement until the final report is submitted and approved. Read more about Southern SARE’s Reporting Requirements.

Grant Management Support: Southern SARE staff is available throughout the life of the project to assist recipients on questions or issues related to their grant project. Management guidelines are available for PI changes, budget modifications, and no-cost extensions. Read more about Southern SARE’s acounting and management guidelines.

Acknowledging Funding: As Southern SARE grantees work on their outreach plans and develop project products related to their grant, they are required by USDA-NIFA to acknowledge SARE funding in the materials that are developed. Read more about Southern SARE’s guidelines for acknowledging funding.